Kiwi FAA Pilot Interned In Sweden

[Dave Homewood]

AIRMAN SAFE

INTERNED IN SWEDEN

EARLIER REPORTED MISSING

SERVING WITH FLEET AIR ARM

Advice that Acting-Leading Airman Bruce Rennie Laing, Fleet Air Arm, and late of H.M.S. Leander, who was previously reported missing on war service, is interned in Sweden, was received last evening by his mother, Mrs. Martha Laing, of 30 Pah Road, Epsom. Mrs. Laing was informed on Wednesday that her son was missing by the commander of his station in England, who cabled direct to her.

The further gratifying news that he was safe came by telegram from the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. Incidentally the Minister's message expressed "much regret" and concluded: "The Prime Minister desires me to convey to you on behalf of the Government his sincere regrets." These expressions of sympathy, which happily were not needed, apparently were due to the fact that the New Zealand authorities had not been advised that Acting-Leading Airman Laing was missing, and were unaware that his relatives had been so informed.

A brother of Acting-Leading Airman Laing last night made a donation of £10 to the London relief fund as a thankoffering for his safety, "I promised myself that I would do so if he were found alive," he said, "and I am keeping my promise. Our father was reported lost at sea just at the end of the last war, after he had been missing for three weeks, so you can understand our feelings this time."


NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 28 SEPTEMBER 1940

[Dave Homewood]

Very few Kiwis were serving with the Fleet Air Arm at that point in WWII.

[kiwiwreckdiver]

Bruce Laing joined the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy in 1934. He was sixteen when he joined as a Boy 2nd Class and completed basic training in HMS Philomel. Laing became a Signalman Boy in 1935 and joined the crew of HMS Dunedin as an Ordinary Signalman in 1936. He was posted to HMS Leander in 1937 and remained with the ship for two years. Laing was part of the crew of HMS Leander present at King George VI’s coronation in 1937. In 1939 Laing was sent to the UK and posted to the shore establishment HMS Victory before serving in HMS Raven, a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) shore establishment, although still as a signaller. He then volunteered for service as aircrew in the FAA in June 1940 and became a Telegraphist Air Gunner.

Laing joined 825 Squadron who were attached to HMS Furious, flying Fairey Swordfish aircraft and operating off the coast of Norway. At some point after September 1940, Laing became interned in Sweden (a neutral country) where his aircraft must have come down. He was returned to Britain by September 1941 when he had a posting in HMS Daedalus. In 1941 Laing served in the FAA shore establishment HMS Kestrel before being sent to HMNZS Leander – given she was not operating an aircraft at the time, he would have served as a signalman onboard. Laing took another overseas posting in 1943 to HMS Tana, a FAA shore establishment in Kenya, followed by almost a year spent in HMS Ukussa in Sri Lanka. After a few UK postings in shore establishments in 1945, Laing returned to New Zealand in July 1945.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for these details, a very interesting career.

[errolmartyn]

Some additional notes compiled by self and the late Gp Capt Colin Hanson:

Sun 22 Sep 1940
Fleet Air Arm – 825 Squadron, RN (HMS Furious)
Swordfish I L2860 G5-F – took off at 0256 GMT+1
(see pp11-12 of Making for Sweden)
LAING, Petty Officer (A) Bruce Rennie
Crash-landed, overturned, Gesunden [as lake within] Jämtland, on the shore of Lake Kryckjarn [?], Sweden, 22 Sep 40, following an attack on Trondheim in a Swordfish of 825 Sqn, FAA, HMS Furious. Crewed with Sub Lt R. L. R. Morgan, RN, (Pilot) and Sub Lt I. M. MacLeod-Rees, RN, (Observer) - all three being interned.
[RNZN records give place of crash as Östersund] On departing Sweden for England PO Laing was given the following letter: -
British Legation
Stockholm
15th Sept. 1941.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
The bearer of this letter Leading Airman B. R. Laing has been repatriated from Internment in Sweden and is on his way to H.M.S. "DAEDALUS" Lee-on-Solent.
It is requested that you give him all assistance he may require.
Danial Gibson-Harris Lieutenant R.N.V.R. Asst. Naval Attaché
Died Auckland ? c. 1998.

Errol

[Antonio]

Absolutely fascinating thread.
Thanks so much for everyones input..